#3-05: Mites under the sun: how radiant heat, visible light and ultraviolet affect mite physiology, life history and community ecology?

As solar energy drives ecosystems of the earth, mites are dominated by sunlight as energy source, a signal or a stressor. Temperature determines metabolic rates in mites as well as plant biomass production. Visible light and ultraviolet A (UVA) are used by mites as signals for their spatial orientation and eco-physiological processes such as diapause induction. While UV alters indirectly the performances of herbivores via plant traits, solar UVB also lethally affects mite herbivores and predators, which constrain their spatial distribution and population dynamics. This symposium illuminates the wide spectrum of sunlight effects on acarine physiology, life history and community.